Venetian blind head bar organization



March 4, 1952 sd VENETIAN BLIND HEAD BAR ORGANIZATION 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 Original Filed Oct. 4, 1947 INVENTOR HARE Y NELSON BY Mp4 fzazfiv HIS ATTORNEYS March 4, 1952 H, NELSON 2,587,752

VENETIAN BLIND HEAD BAR ORGANIZATION Original Filed Oct. 4, 1947 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 INVENTOR HARRY A/fZSO/V HIS ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 4, 1 952 VENETIAN BLIND HEAD BAR ORGANIZATION Harry Nelson, New York, N. Y., assignor to Lorentzen Hardware Mfg.. Corp., New. York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Original application October 4, 1947, Serial No. 778,002. Divided and this application April 27, 1949, Serial No. 89,883

6 Claims.

This invention relates to Venetian blinds, and more particularly to Venetian blind headbar organizations and cord locks therefor. Certain features of the invention are applicable to various types of headbars, but the invention as a whole is particularly applicable to metal headbar organizations of the type known in the trade as enclosed metal heads. The present application is a division of my application S. N. 778,002 filed October 4, 1947.

So-called enclosed heads may be handled and installed as a unit. They include a tilter, a tilt rod, tape rockers, a cord lock, and tilt rod cradles that have cord guides, all enclosed within the headbar and usually mounted along the base of a channel-shaped headbar. Thus, there is no occasion to use a valance to conceal the various fittings by which the blind is supported and adjusted. A headbar organization of this type is shown in my Patent No. 2,455,135, issued November 30, 1948, the present invention being in some respects an improvement over the construction there shown.

The various fittings provided for operation of the blind are usually secured along thebottom Wall of the headbar by metal tabs, the tabs either being struck from the headbar as in my Patent 2,455,135 and clinched about the base of the fittings, or mounted on the fittings and passed through slots of the headbar and clinched against the underside thereof.

In the form shown of the present invention, the same form of fitting attachment is utilized, but in addition the cord lock body is otherwise interlocked with the headbar. This is accomplished by the provision of a rigid tab or tongue on the cord lock which is passed through and engaged against the underside of the headbar. In the preferred form shown, this rigid tongue is passed through the slot in the headbar provided for the depending hand-engaged portions of the lift cords, thus supplying a smooth bearing for passage of the lift cords through the headbar wall and aiding in providing a rigid mounting of the cord lock in the headbar, even when a cord lock having a relatively small base is used.

Among the objects of the invention are to facilitate assembly of the cord lock fitting in a Venetian blind enclosed headbar, toprovide a more rigid cord lock mounting for enclosed metal heads, to provide a mounting in which the. lift cords are protected against fraying, to provide a mounting having fewer tabs to be clinched to attach the fitting to the headbar. to improve the speedof assembly of enclosed metal heads,.. to

provide an enclosed metal head and parts therefor which can be rapidly and economically manufactured as rolled or stamped sheet metal parts, and to generally improve enclosed metal heads and the parts therefor-from the standpoints of manufacture, assembly, use and durability.

Further objects and objects relating to details and economies of construction, manufacture and use will more definitely appear from the detailed description to follow.

My invention is clearly defined in the appended claims. In the claims, as well as in the description, parts are at times identified by specific names for clarity and convenience, but such nomenclature is to be understood as having the broadest meaning consistent with the context and with the concept of my invention as distinguished from the pertinent prior art. The best form in which I have contemplated applying my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, in which:

Fig-1 is a perspective view of a Venetian blind embodying the present invention, portions of the headbar and one ladder-tape being cut or broken away to show details of construction.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of theheadbar organization, portions being in section or broken away for convenience. of illustration.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view, showing the cord lock and the adjacent portion of the headbar.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the cord lock end of the headbar channel, portions of the bar being shown in section for convenience of illustration.

Indescribing the construction of the cord lock and its assembly with the headbar, certain portions ofthe entire headbar assemblywhich are notv closely related to the cord lock will be described briefly or omitted entirely from this alescription, these parts being described in more detail in my above-mentioned application Serial No. 778,002.

Referring to the drawings, a channel 20 for a Venetian blind is formed of a length of channelshaped sheet metal severedfrom a piece of indeterminate length. By making headbars which vary in length in increments of one inch, windows of all widths between the longest and shortest headbar can be provided for.

The channel 20 is provided with round, inwardly-turned open marginal beads 2|, 2! formed along the upper edges of the channel. The channel 20 may also be provided withlong-itudinal, inwardly-pressed beads. or corrugations on both the front and back sides of the channel, the front side being considered as the side towards the person operating the blind, which side is usually placed toward the interior of the room. The beads 2 I, 2I and the corrugations 22 are preferably formed in the indeterminate length of channel stock in advance of severing to form the headbar channel 20. These beads and corrugations add to the appearance of the headbar and stiffen it against bending.

The operating mechanism of the blind is located within the channel 2|], the individual parts thereof being spaced along its length and secured to the inside bottom wall portion of the channel. This mechanism is secured to the channel by bending over tabs which have been previously struck up from the bottom of the channel, the securing means being generally similar to that shown in my above-mentioned Patent No; 2,455,135.

The individual parts of the operating mechanism mounted along the headbar channel comprise a tilter 45, two or more tilt rod cradles 46 and a cord lock 41. Customarily, the cord lock is mounted at the right-hand end of the headbar and the tilter is mounted at the left-hand end. Lift cords 49 are reeved through the blind in a customary manner and pass through the cord lock 41, the cord lock serving to engage the lift cords so as to hold the slats ll of the blind in more or less raised position. The present invention is directed to the cord lock 4'! and its attachment to the headbar channel 20.

The cord lock 41 comprises a body 94 which may be generally similar to that disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 731,392. This body comprises two opposite generally parallel side walls 88 and 93 and a connecting end wall 98. A pulley P has a pair of circumferential grooves and may be pivotally mounted between the side walls 88 and 93 by a rivet 83. A locking dog, not shown, is pivotally mounted on the rivet 83 and serves to engage the lift cords 49 against the end wall 98 of the cord lock body.

The cord lock body 94 has a rearwardly-extending mounting flange 95 which is generally flat and may be of the outline indicated in Fig. 2. This mounting flange extends rearwardly from the lower edge of the rear side wall 93 of the cord lock body, preferably being formed integrally thereof;

The mounting flange 95 is provided with a pair of notches 96, 96 on opposite sides thereof which receive bent over tabs 91, 91, previously struck up from the bottom of the headbar channel. The mounting flange 95 projects at an acute angle to the cord lock body 94 so as to incline the cord lock upwardly to the rear as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2. When the blind is assembled, one lift cord 49 runs directly from one groove of pulley P to a pulley of one of the cradles 46 and the other pulley P to a pulley of the other cradle 46.

A relatively large hole 99, which may be of the outline shown in Fig. 4, is provided in the 6 extends forwardly, having an end portion or flange I03 lying approximately in the plane of the mounting flange 95. Immediately above the portion I93 of the tongue I00, laterally-projecting prongs or lugs IUI may be provided.

The projecting tongue I is formed as a rigid integral extension of the front side wall 88 of the cord lock body and is given the form described before assembly of the cord lock with the headbar channel 20. In assembly of the cord lock 41 with the channel 20, the two parts are relatively shifted to insert the end portion I93 of the tongue I00 through the hole 99 in the bottom wall of the headbar, the portion I03 lying against the forward edge of the hole 99 and against the under surface of the headbar along the margin of the hole. The projecting prongs II) I, IUI lie against the upper surface of the headbar wall.

At the same time, the mounting flange 95 of the cord lock 41 is placed against the upper face of the channel bottom wall, the tabs 91, 91 being received in the notches 96, 95 in the flange and clinched over the flange to additionally hold th cord lock in assembled position.

In the above-described assembly, the cord lock body 94 is entirely held against, all motion within the headbar channel 29. The tongue I90 supports the front side of the cord lock body 94 while the mounting flange 99 securely supports the rear side of the cord lock body, thus forming a construction which resists to the utmost upward or downward pull on the cord look by the lift cords. Further, the tongue I99 also provides a smooth bearing for the lift cords 49 in their passage through the bottom wall of the headbar channel 20, the lift cords often being pulled against the front edge of the hole customarily provided in the bottom wall of the headbar. This construction prevents fraying of the lift cords and contributes to smooth and easy operation of the blind.

In the above-described headbar assembly, the cord lock 41 has been placed as far forward in the headbar channel 20 as is practicable in order that the lift cords 49 can be passed through the bottom wall of the headbar channel adjacent the front wall thereof and in front of the front edges of the slats II of the blind. At the same time, the ladder tapes and consequently the slats have been moved back relative to the channel 20 as described in more detail in the parent application. This construction prevents interference by the lift cords 49 with the tilting of the topmost blind slat II, as well as facilitating easy operation of the blind.

The above-described mounting of the cord lock 41 provides the desired rigidity and durability and at the same time permits the area of the cord lock mounting flange to be greatly reduced, thereby contributing to a light weight assembly at a saving in cost of metal without sacrifice of strength or long life.

I claim:

1. In the Venetian blind art, a stamped sheet metal cord lock fitting for mounting in the bottom of a metal headbar channel, said fitting having a U-shaped cord lock housing formed of two generally parallel side walls and a connecting end wall, metal extending from the bottom of one side wall being bent outwardly of the housing and formed into a horizontal mounting flange for resting against the bottom of the headbar channel, said flange having formations to receive securing means for attaching the fitting to the bottom of the headbar channel, and metal extending from the bottom of the other side of the housing being formed with load-bearing portions to rest directly against the bottom of the headbar channel.

2. In the Venetian blind art, a stamped sheet metal cord lock fitting for mounting in the bottom of a metal headbar channel, said fitting having a U-shaped cord lock housing formed of two generally parallel side walls and a connecting end wall, metal extending from the bottom of one side wall being bent outwardly of the housing and formed into a horizontal mounting flange for resting against the bottom of the headbar channel, said flange having formations to receive securing means for attaching the fitting to the bottom of the headbar channel, and metal extending from the bottom of the other side of the housing being formed with load-bearing portions to rest directly against the bottom of the headbar channel, said load-bearing portions being located approximately in the plane of said mounting flange.

3. In the Venetian blind art, a cord lock fltting having a rearwardly, upwardly inclined cord lock housing formed of two generally parallel side walls and a connecting end wall, a generally flat, horizontal mounting flange extending rearwardly at an acute angle from the lower edge of the rear side wall, and a rigid portion extending downwardly from the lower edge of the front wall and terminating approximately in the plane of the mounting flange.

4. For a Venetian blind, a headbar having a metal bottom provided with upwardly projecting metal tabs struck therefrom, and a cord lock mounted on the bottom, the cord lock having a rearwardly, upwardly inclined cord lock housing formed of two generally parallel side walls and a connecting end wall, a generally flat, horizontal mounting flange extending rearwardly at an acute angle from the lower edge of the rear side wall of the cord lock housing and resting on the bottom of the headbar, and a rigid portion extending downwardly from the lower edge of the front side wall of-the cord lock housing, the upwardly projecting tabs of the headbar being clinched over the mounting flange of the cord lock, and the rigid portion projecting downwardly fromthe front side wall of the cord lock being supported by the upper surface of the bottom of the headbar.

5. In the Venetian blind art, a stamped sheet metal cord lock fitting having a cord lock housing comprising two generally parallel side walls and a connecting end wall, a generally flat, horizontal mounting flange extending from the lower edge of the rear side wall, and a portion extending from the lower edge of the front side wall towards the plane of the rear side wall and terminating in a forwardly extending end portion lying approximately in the plane of the mounting flange, the parallel side walls of the cord lock housing being rearwardly upwardly inclined relative to the mounting flange.

6. In the Venetian blind art, a stamped sheet metal cord lock fitting having a cord lock housing comprising two generally parallel side walls and a connecting end wall, a generally flat, horizontal mounting flange extending from the lower edge of the rear side wall, and a portion extending from the lower edge of the front side wall towards the plane of the rear side wall and terminating approximately in the plane of the mounting flange, the parallel side walls of the cord lock housing being rearwardly upwardly inclined relative to the mounting flange.

HARRY NELSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the flle of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,175,977 Stuber Oct. 10, 1939 2,256,359 Stark Sept. 16, 1941 2,334,132 Sherwood Nov. 9, 1943 2,423,977 Hunter July 15, 1947 2,455,135 Nelson Nov. 30, 1948 

